Catching Up With The Common Good

MCKEEN CENTER OPPORTUNITIES 

Volunteer with Oasis Free Clinics  
Oasis Free Clinics is a non-profit, no-cost primary care medical practice and dental clinic, providing patient-centered care to adults ages 18-64, based in Brunswick. Oasis is looking for the following: (1) Volunteer Clinical Assistant to help out this summer at our community clinic. The clinical assistant will be asked to welcome patients, take their vital signs, enter preliminary data into an electronic medical record and update provider of patients' concerns. The right volunteer will be trained in how to do these tasks. They may also be asked to assist in sanitizing equipment, stocking medication, and computer work. (2) Volunteer Administrative Assistant to help out with events, marketing, and publications. We are specifically looking for assistance with (a) event planning and logistical support for our summer fundraiser, Brunswick in Bloom, on July 18th, and (b) assistance in drafting and compiling outreach, fundraising, and organizational print materials, including our Annual Report.  Interested? Reach out to oasis@oasisfreeclinics.organd include your resume and area(s) of interst!   

Listen to the Pine State Politics podcast
In season two of the podcast, Natalie Emmerson, Larsen Van Horn, and Sophia Fogg dive into Maine’s exciting gubernatorial primaries. Learn more here. 

Volunteer & Lead with Next Steps!  
Next Steps is looking for two students to step into leadership roles for the upcoming academic year. Next Steps is a volunteer group that aims to equip local high school upperclassmenwith the tools they need to learn about their potential routes after graduation. In particular, we focus on college access and demystifying the application process. I interested, please email Vincent at vdiep@bowdoin.edu & Andrea at acordovacisneros@bowdoin.edu We look forward to hearing from you!  

Donate Items to Florence House!  
Through May 14th   
Location(s) of donation bins: Collection bins can be found in the McKeen Center, Ladd House, and dorm buildings. Most-needed items are: Bedding, Household items (kitchen/cleaning supplies, etc.), Toiletries including nail polish and makeup, & Art supplies! Items should be clean and in good condition. Questions? Contact Maya Kachra(mkachra@bowdoin.edu) – thank you!  

PROJECT RECYCLE: Donate Items to Freeport Lioness-Lions Club!  
Through May 17th  
Your old but still usable prescription glasses and sunglasses, cellphones, and hearing aids can help others. Donations are cleaned and redistributed to people in need in Maine and worldwide.  Bring your items to the collection box at the McKeen Center (outside Office 101) from Monday to Friday, 9-5 PM. Email Brigit Tabuena ‘27 (btabuena@bowdoin.edu) for more information. 

COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES   

Student Volunteer Opportunity: Data Collection/Digital Map for preserving Brunswick's Tree Canopy!  
Reach out to Esther Mechler (207-798-7955), a member of Brunswick's former Tree Committee, about efforts to protect, preserve, and increase the town's tree canopy. Her group seeks a student to assist with data collection and a digital map that tracks tree planting in Brunswick.  

Volunteer Help for Nonprofit Color Run 5k  
Sunday, May 17th 
This is the second annual Spring Colors 5k & Half-k Color Run happening in Bridge Park, Commercial St, Bath, ME. You can find more information about the event and see pictures from last year’s color run at www.bathatplay.org/spring-colors. It is a fantastic community event and our largest fundraiser of the year. Please feel free to share this information and our email (volunteer@bathatplay.org) with anyone who may also be interested in volunteering for our 2026 Color Run. If you are able to volunteer this year, please email with your availability and t-shirt size as soon as possible. Thank you! 

Nature Is Nurture - Breakfast & Dedication  
Friday, May 22, 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM  
65 Thomas Point Road, Brunswick  
At Tedford, we're building supportive connections to the natural world, in service of our mission: empowering people to move from homelessness to home. Celebrate the dedication of new outdoor spaces for reflection and restoration, including our walking path, veggie beds, and memorial pollinator and perennial garden. We'll also unveil our rooftop solar array, community mural, and Tedford's first-ever sustainability commitments. All are welcome! RSVP here https://forms.gle/i54q9vaUT7uz2MUu5 or contact Katrina Webster (kwebster@tedfordhousing.org | 207-607-4554).  

Shelter Phone Line Volunteers needed at Tedford Housing  
Apply ASAP!   
Ideally 3-hour per week commitment   
Tedford Housing’s adult shelter phone line serves as a tool to keep track of calls from people experiencing homelessness who are in need of a bed in the shelter. People in need of shelter are encouraged to call the shelter every morning to check on the status of a bed and to be added to the call-log. Shelter phone line volunteers will help free up the capacity of shelter staff by attending to this extension. They will answer the phone, ask a few basic questions using a provided script, and record the details on the call log. Ideal volunteers can commit to one 3-hour in person shift per week (M-F 8-11am) for a minimum of 6 months, and be willing to attend an orientation. This is could be a great fit if you are in Brunswick / the Midcoast area over the summer! Qualities We’re Looking For: 18+ (Background check required because you will be in our shelter facility); Empathetic, non-judgmental; patient listener; able to maintain high level of confidentiality; detail oriented; comfortable talking on the phone. To learn more or to request an application, contact Emily Bollman (ebollman@tedfordhousing.org), Tedford’s Volunteer Coordinator.   

International Kids Festival — Volunteers Needed for July!  
Capital Area New Mainers Project  
We're already looking ahead to one of our favorite events of the year — the International Kids Festival, held as part of the beloved Old Hallowell Day celebrations on the third Saturday in July. Last year, over 190 people attended with tables representing a fifteen countries with kids and families sharing food, music, games, and stories from their cultures. We're beginning to recruit volunteers and families who want to participate this year. Share your culture with the community! As a table host at CANMP's International Kids Festival, held as part of Old Hallowell Day in July, you'll set up a table featuring food, games, music, crafts, or stories from your culture or country of origin. Kids and families will visit your table to learn, play, and connect. You bring the creativity. We will provide the table, space, and support. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to celebrate their heritage and for kids to explore the world. No experience necessary, just a love of sharing where you come from. Sign up to volunteer or host a table: https://canmp.app.neoncrm.com/forms/volunteer?opportunityId=113  
 

ADDITIONAL BOWDOIN OPPORTUNITIES 

Still looking for your summer job?
Work with Bowdoin Upward Bound this summer! 
Here is the application form. Questions? Want to learn more about Upward Bound? Contact Sarah MacAlister at s.macalister@bowdoin.edu. Thank you!

Give & Go Move Out 2026
May 12th through May 24th
If you have items that you are unable to bring along with you during move out or no longer want, please consider donating them to Bowdoin’s Give & Go program instead of tossing them into the dumpster! Sustainable Bowdoin is once again collecting unwanted items for donation to help divert material from the local landfill and provide an opportunity to reuse items that are still in good condition. Many of the donated items will be used for Bowdoin's Freecycle program to be redistributed to students on campus, and other items will be  sorted and donated to local organizations. More info on CampusGroups here. Questions? Contact the Sustainability Office: sustainability@bowdoin.edu. 

Want your event or opportunity featured in Catching Up with the Common Good? Email mbirnbau@bowdoin.edu with a blurb following the format you see above.